MUSIC VIDEO: Mannequin Jordan McGuire

Inspiration:

My main inspiration would have to be Britney Spears’s own music videos. They are a spectacle - often controversial or so incredible they tend to make the news bulletins. She often works with some of my favourite directors including Joseph Kahn, Jake Nava, and Francis Lawrence.

Joseph Kahn has been in the business making music videos for decades. His work generally has a very cinematic feel, almost as if it’s a full motion picture that’s been squeezed into three minutes. His ability to tell a complex story with such attention to detail in a small amount of time is enviable. He generally works on very high budget music videos or TV spots as his videos use very heavy special effects. I also love the varied cinematography, for example the differences between the visual composition and cinematography in ‘I Hate This Part’ - a beautifully simplistic and artistic video - compared with ‘When I Grow Up’ – a commercial, high budget typical girl band ‘spectacle’ of a clip - are so great you’d think they were by different directors. I admire this versatility.

MUSIC VIDEO - MANNEQUIN / JORDAN MCGUIRE / PRODUCTION PLAN

Jake Nava is another high profile music video director who has a similar visual style for the majority of his videos. They’re very dark and mysterious, and utilize the most breathtaking locations and sets to capture an atmosphere of high class and glamour. His use of lighting and colour schemes is really inspiring and I’d love to emulate this in my own music video. Light flares and beams are consistently used to achieve a ‘glow’ that seems to give the scene an incredible enigmatic atmosphere right at the climax of the song. He also captures the mood of the songs he’s chosen to write treatments for perfectly. My favourite video he’s directed is coincidentally another Britney video, ‘My Prerogative’ - a clip which has, in my opinion, one of the most visually incredible concepts ever involving Britney crashing a car into a pool and while absolutely drenched, seducing the camera while dancing on the hood. While it practically makes no sense, that’s the beauty of pop music videos - anything can happen, as long as it looks good and the artist looks on top of their game.

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Francis Lawrence has this unique ability to create a whole world within a music video. Each clip has its own cohesive theme and atmosphere, and you feel as if you’re there. They have that ‘epic’ feeling that gives you chills. His most popular videos - Lady GaGa’s ‘Bad Romance’, Britney’s ‘I’m A Slave 4 U’ and ‘Circus’, coupled with one of my favourites - Janet Jackson’s ‘All Nite (Don’t Stop)’, all follow this winning formula. He also directed ‘Constantine’ and ‘I Am Legend’, two extremely successful and critically acclaimed movies that not only have brilliant storylines but are visually and aesthetically impressive.

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I’m also heavily inspired by media other than music videos. Everything from photography to colour schemes, clothes, makeup, lighting, and even choregraphy. I’ve spent the last few months bookmarking everything I come across that gives me a sudden wave of inspiration.

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Intention:

As far as movie making goes, I have a long way to go before I’m going to have this kind of creative freedom, as I’ve got years of study ahead of me. This is a chance for me to briefly fulfil my dream of being a music video director. I work closely with people important in the pop music industry and so I’m very informed about the genre and what the fans like, want and respond positively to. The song I’ve chosen is one of my favourites and was considered as a first single choice but was ultimately not a single at all, and therefore didn’t get a professional music video treatment. My aim is to do the song justice and emulate the pop music video feel that Britney seems to have perfected, leaving everyone ending up copying her. I don’t necessarily want to make a clone as it’ll have my own twist to it but I want to make it as extravagant and detailed as possible. I’d like to make it into a mini-movie similar to Telephone and Paparazzi, two Lady GaGa videos, as I feel it gives you more of a chance to develop a storyline and engage the viewer, leaving them totally engrossed in your music video’s world.

Concept:

This will be a music video set to the song ‘Mannequin’ by Britney Spears, except I’m using a remix as it includes an added intro and breakdown that’ll give me more time to develop a storyline with, as well as add more emotion and dramatic tension in certain parts. The whole video doesn’t have to be serious; I’d like some parts to be somewhat comedic as this makes it more memorable. The concept of the video is that a girl discovers her boyfriend is cheating and so she initially has a manic episode in the bathroom out of anger and frustration, but then goes to bed, and wakes up fine…pretending that everything is okay, as she doesn’t care for him anymore. She also decides to take advantage of his wealth while she can, and then gets revenge at the end once he’s aware she knows. The song repeats the line “I don’t care, you can cry again, my face like a mannequin” during the chorus, “my face like a mannequin” meaning that her face is blank and shows no emotion, as she has now lost all feelings towards him - she is still angry but she can take advantage of him and get revenge simultaneously. As she pretends that she doesn’t care and has convinced herself this is the case, her subconscious – filled with anger and passion – is represented by her dancing. These solo scenes as well as the dancing are like the little voice in the back of her head, expressing her real emotions figuratively. Another feature of the video is that she pauses the setting around her whenever she wants by clicking her fingers so they’re frozen in motion - like a mannequin. He is unaware of her knowing about his infidelity but ends up getting caught, and so the last part of the video will feature a suspenseful chase to catch him and give him what he deserves.

Script:

INTRO: Begins with cityscape shots, title appears. Cut to Claire and Matt in car together driving home, Mannequin playing on the radio at low volume. Camera zooms through the window. Matt’s phone rings, he slightly panics, hides it and rejects the call. A closeup of the phone reveals it’s another girl calling.

CLAIRE: Who was that?MATT: Just work, don’t worry I’ll call back.CLAIRE: Mmkay...

They pull up to their apartment. Matt rushes inside while she watches him with an air of suspicion. Day turns to night as a sped-up time-lapse shot of outside is shown. Cut to inside the apartment. On the couch huddled up together, the couple is watching TV. Matt gets a call and again, hides his phone.

MATT: Sorry, I have to take this. Work again.

Matt leaves the room briefly. Camera focuses on Claire looking behind her watching him on the phone. He’s smiling and laughing, then hangs up and comes back.

CLAIRE: That sounded a bit cheerful to be work calling...MATT: Yeah it was a mate.CLAIRE: Why did you say it was work before?MATT: I got confused, okay? God, why are you being so suss?CLAIRE: Why are YOU being so suss? Every time I turn my back you’re on the phone!MATT: Whatever. I can’t be bothered with fighting. I’ll go sleep at Nick’s...seeya.

He slams the door. Claire looks visibly angry and frustrated, but turns around and her eyes light up - he’s left his phone on the table. It beeps as soon as she looks at it. It’s a text from another girl - “When are you going to come over hun? ;)”. She closes it, and the homepage wallpaper is a photo of him kissing the other girl. She looks upset. Zooming into her face...continuous flashbacks of happy times with her boyfriend appear. She wipes away the tears and her sadness turns to a look of anger and determination. Matt suddenly opens the door and she’s staring at the wall angrily, then wakes up from her little daydream.

MUSIC VIDEO - MANNEQUIN / JORDAN MCGUIRE / PRODUCTION PLAN

MATT: Forgot my phone. (points to phone sitting on table - camera focus changes)CLAIRE: Here you go. (hands phone to Matt) Sorry about before. (smiles)MATT: Yeah well I’m going to let you cool down. I’ve got a lot of..work to do.

He leaves again. Claire is immediately filled with anger. Faster paced shots of flashbacks are shown as she enters the bathroom

Shots of Claire tossing and turning in bed trying to sleep are shown. Every flashback in her dream of Matt and her causes her to twitch and jump. Closeup of her eyes as she wakes up. She sits on the edge of the bed and checks her phone and there’s a message from Matt: “Hey, sorry for losing it last night, wanna come meet me at Nicks? xoxo”. Claire rolls her eyes and stands up, starting to get ready. Continuous erratic jumpcuts are used as she changes clothes, makes her way to the bathroom, does her hair and makeup etc., and walks out to the car.

LYRICS SHOT-BY-SHOT DESCRIPTION

My face like a mannequin

Home late, it’s okI run this, he wants meI get things, everything I wanted, my own wayYour time, goldminesLoose guys, on my backless dresses, excess

Close up of faceCut-in close up of hand changing gears

Alternate between mid shot side view of Claire driving, mid shot view from front through windscreen, and close up of face

Over-shoulder shot of car breakingClose up of shoe as she steps out of the carTilt upwards and continue as a dolly tracking shot backwards, following Claire as she confidently walks towards Matt

I cannot help myselfI’m just doing what I doHelp myself to anything that I want so thank youI like itAnd I do what I likeAnd then you’ll do what I likeAnd you’ll like it

Full body shot of dancing alternating with constant erratic cut-ins of other angles, focusing on different body parts etc. (re: Telephone – Lady GaGa – jail dance sequence)Dolly towards MattTracking full body shot from side as Claire approaches MattCloseup of faces as their lips almost meet but stop centimetres apart

LYRICS SHOT-BY-SHOT DESCRIPTION

If you wanna just screamScream your lungs outBoy just cryCry your eyes outThat’s what I’m aboutYou can cry your eyes outta your headBaby babyI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequinMannequinYeah I did it again andYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequin

Closeup of Claire singingFull body shots of singing and dancing against brick wall with spotlight – also shots with backup dancers

End chorus with arcing shot of Claire & back up dancers frozen in pose like mannequins

You told me you’re lonelyCan’t hear youCan’t feel youI’m frozen in poseAnd there’s no way to move meWatch meDress meCan’t impress meI’m not changingI’m just

Dolly tracking shot to the right coming from behind a wall revealing Claire scanning the apartment(Alternate frame speeds from normal to slow motion)

I cannot help myselfI’m just doing what I doHelp myself to anything that I want so thank youI like itAnd I do what I likeAnd then you’ll do what I likeAnd you’ll like it

MUSIC VIDEO - MANNEQUIN / JORDAN MCGUIRE / PRODUCTION PLAN

LYRICS SHOT-BY-SHOT DESCRIPTION

If you wanna just screamScream your lungs outBoy just cryCry your eyes outThat’s what I’m aboutYou can cry your eyes outta your headBaby babyI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequinMannequinYeah I did it again andYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequin

My face like a mannequin (x4)Watch me (x2)

If you wanna just screamScream your lungs outBoy just cryCry your eyes outThat’s what I’m aboutYou can cry your eyes outta your headBaby babyI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careI don’t careYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequinMannequinYeah I did it again andYou can cry cry cry againMy face like a mannequin

My face like a mannequin (repeat til fade out)

Filming:CamerasSeeing as I’m going for as much of a ‘high end’ look as possible without going too over the top and over my head (delving into film cameras etc. which I know nothing about) I’m looking into hiring cameras. Michael’s in Melbourne City hires out cameras and the highest quality one they have is the Canon XH-A1 but I want a cleaner, more versatile look - so I’ve been looking into Digital SLRs that shoot HD video. The Canon 7D has had rave reviews and looking at examples of music videos that have been shot with it on vimeo.com and I came across the following one which has brilliant visuals and is exactly the look I want.

Benshire.com.au has Canon 7Ds for hire as well as the lenses I would like – the above video was shot with a 24-70mm lens at f2.8. I may also hire a 50mm lens so I have a wider range of types of shots and focal lengths to choose from.

Lighting & Colour CorrectionI’ll mostly be using natural lighting and then colour correcting or adjusting brightness in Adobe After Effects to capture the right look and mood I want. The tiniest adjustment can make an incredible difference on the overall look and feel of the clip. For example, the above first three images have a sepia tone added but it’s not too strong as the colours of her clothes are still vibrant. I would like to experiment with using different colours to create alternate atmospheres that reflect the character’s current emotions or actions at that time.Artificial lighting will be used in the alleyways as they will most likely be TOO underlit to shoot in, as well as for the ‘spotlight’ effect I’m interested in using against a brick wall for some of the solo singing and dancing shots. The school has a set of flourescent lights I’m interested in using to light up the face of my singer.